News Summary: FDA examines safety of metal hips

FDA MEETING: The Food and Drug Administration holds a two-day meeting beginning Wednesday to scrutinize the safety of metal-on-metal hip implants, following years of patient reports of pain and swelling that sometimes requires removal of the devices.

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FDA MEETING: The Food and Drug Administration holds a two-day meeting beginning Wednesday to scrutinize the safety of metal-on-metal hip implants, following years of patient reports of pain and swelling that sometimes requires removal of the devices.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS: Metal-on-metal hips first gained favor with physicians in the last decade. Laboratory tests suggested the devices would be more resistant to wear than plastic or ceramic hips.

HIP CHECK: But recent data gathered by surgeons in the U.K. and elsewhere shows some metal implants are more likely to require corrective surgery than traditional implants. The FDA will ask a panel of experts to discuss the evidence and recommend safety measures.